(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to flash memory cells, and, more particularly, to a method to form flash memory cells with a unique erasing gate structure.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
EEPROM or flash EEPROM memory is frequently used in electronic systems. EEPROM provides a medium for data storage that can withstand power interruption without losing data. Typical EEPROM cells comprise a form of a MOS transistor having a floating gate and a control gate. The floating gate is constructed so that it can be charged or discharged. The charge state can be maintained over an indefinite period. The control gate is used both in the program/erase operation and in the reading operation. The charge state of the floating gate determines the relative threshold voltage of the flash transistor and this, in turn, determines if a xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d or a xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d value has been stored.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a typical flash cell is shown. This flash cell comprises two transistors, each further comprising a floating gate 14, a control gate 18, a drain region 42, and a common source region 38. This shared source arrangement is found to be an efficient way to layout flash cells in a large array. The flash cell is constructed on a substrate 10. The drains 42 and sources 38 are formed in the substrate 10. The floating gates 14 typically comprise a polysilicon layer 26 overlying the substrate 10 with a gate oxide layer 22 therebetween. In this flash cell example, the control gates 18 are adjacent to the floating gates 14 in what is called a split gate arrangement. The control gates 18 comprise another polysilicon layer 28 adjacent to the floating gate polysilicon 26 with a second gate oxide layer 34 therebetween. In addition, the control gates 18 overlie the substrate 10 with the second gate oxide 34 therebetween.
In this configuration, the channel region between the drain 42 and source 38 of either flash transistor is controlled by two gates. First, the floating gate 14 couples stored charge and capacitively coupled charge from the control gate 18 onto a first part of the channel. Second, the control gate 18 couples charge onto the channel. This split gate arrangement has a particular advantage over flash transistors where the control gate is stacked over the floating gate. Namely, the control gate 18 can completely shut off the channel when the cell is not selected. This insures that no leakage current is generated by an unselected cell regardless of the charge state of the floating gate 14. This is a particularly useful feature for cases where the floating gate 14 has been over-erased such that the threshold voltage is reduced to below zero volts.
It should be noted the control gate 18 is used for several functions in the flash cell. In particular, the control gate 18 is used for erasing the cell. In the erasing operation, a high voltage is forced onto control gate 18, also called the word line, of the cell. For example, the word line 18 is forced to about 12 Volts while the common source 38 and drain 42, also called the bit line drain, are forced to 0 Volts. In this operation, electrons are injected from the floating gate 14 into the control gate 18 to cause the floating gate 14 to be erased. In the programming operation, the word line 18 is forced to about 2.5 Volts while the common source 38 is forced to a high voltage of about 10 Volts and the bit line drain 42 is forced to about 0.5 Volts. This condition causes source side 38 injection of electrons from the substrate 10 to the floating gate 14 and results in programming. Finally, during a reading operation, the word line gate is forced to about 2.5 Volts while the common source 38 is forced to about 0 Volts and the bit line drain 42 is forced to about 1.5 Volts. This condition will detect the presence of channel current to verify the state of the cell (xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d).
The above-described operating conditions imply that the thickness Y of the dielectric between the control gate 18 and the substrate 10 should be large to withstand a large gate-to-substrate voltage during erasing without gate oxide breakdown. Further, the distance X between the control gate 18 and the floating gate channel should be small to increase the lateral electric field and to aid in generating hot electron injection. Finally, the thickness Z of the dielectric between the control gate 18 and the floating gate 14 should be small to provide high current gain for the flash device during reading. However, in this prior art device, a single dielectric layer 34 must meet all of these requirements. In particular, the second gate oxide layer 34 must meet be both thick enough to withstand the erasing mode and thin enough to provide efficient programming and reading. It is found that the multiple use, control gate 18 and single thickness dielectric layer 34 are not capable of meeting the performance requirements for future flash systems.
Several prior art inventions relate flash memory cells having control gates and erase gates. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,101,131, 6,125,060, and 6,261,907 B1 to Chang disclose a flash EEPROM device having an erasing gate terminal. The erasing gate is formed beside a control gate/flash gate stack. The erasing gate overlies and controls a part of the active channel. U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,436 B1 to Kao et al describes a flash EEPROM cell having an erase gate. The floating gate is formed. A control gate is formed overlying part of the floating gate and a part of the channel in split-gate form. An erase gate is formed overlying another part of the floating gate and the channel.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide an effective and very manufacturable flash memory device.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method to form a flash memory device with improved programming and erasing efficiency.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a method to form a flash memory device with optimized efficiency and high reliability.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a method to form a flash memory device where the key elements of the structure are self-aligned.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a flash memory cell with a dedicated erase gate.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide an improved flash memory cell with an erase gate without increasing the cell size.
In accordance with the objects of this invention, a method to form control gates and erase gates for split-gate flash memory cells is achieved. The method comprises providing floating gates overlying a substrate. A control dielectric layer is formed overlying the floating gates and the substrate. A control conductor layer is formed overlying the control dielectric layer. Sidewall spacers are formed on the control conductor layer. The control conductor layer is partially etched down to create gaps between the sidewall spacers and the floating gates. The remaining control conductor layer forms control gates laterally adjacent to the floating gates. An isolating dielectric layer is formed overlying the control gates. An erase dielectric layer is formed lining the gaps and overlying the isolating dielectric layer. An erase conductor layer is deposited overlying the erase dielectric layer and isolating dielectric layer. The erase conductor layer is etched down to confine the remaining erase conductor layer to the gaps and to thereby form erase gates laterally adjacent to the floating gates.
Also in accordance with the objects of this invention, a split-gate flash memory device is achieved. The device comprises a floating gate overlying a substrate. A control gate is laterally adjacent to the floating gate and overlies the substrate. An erase gate is laterally adjacent to the floating gate and overlies the control gate. The erase gate is between a sidewall spacer and the floating gate.